Christmas Season
by Raberba girl
Summary: Saïx's tolerance for holiday spirit is pretty low, but at least he has some... AU AkuSaiRokuShi Christmas story.


Christmas Season  
(rough draft)  
A Kingdom Hearts fanfic by Raberba girl

_Christmas 2013_

Summary: Saïx's tolerance for holiday spirit is pretty low, but at least he _has_ some...

A/N: This AU is heavily inspired by...a series of manga I'm hesitant to specify, because the games they're based on are disgusting. *sweatdrop* (And for those of you who do know what series I'm referring to, THIS FIC IS strikeCOMPLETELY/strike MOSTLY PLATONIC, so no one's gonna be perving on Roxas & Xion. *kicks Vanitas*)

Oh, and there's no Santaphobia in this fic, btw (for once XD).

o.o.o

It was winter at the Clock Tower (and summer in Disney Town, and fall in Port Royal, and spring at Radiant Castle...), but Saïx was used to the cold and did not find it unpleasant. In his workroom at the top of the Tower, he made steady progress through the stacks of paperwork on his desk, idly hoping to be done with them before a new batch arrived.

No such luck. He heard their approach long before they came barging in, multiple footfalls on the staircase and voices raised in chatter and laughter. Then the door was flung open and three figures - one tall and thin, two much shorter and more healthily filled out - came tumbling into the workroom.

"I did it, Saïx!" Axel proclaimed proudly. "I got here in just two time periods!"

"Only because the twins were leading you," Saïx answered dryly. "Honestly, don't you feel even the _least_ bit ashamed that nine-year-old children have a better sense of direction than you do...?"

"Eh, it's all good, as long as I get there eventually," Axel shrugged, slinging off his long coat. The garment was black, so the stains didn't show except for rusty patches on the silver zipper and drawstrings, but the brown sack he dropped in front of Saïx was more noticeably soiled.

"Not on the _desk_, Axel!" Saïx snapped, pushing the bag away with his pen and glaring at the bloodstains now smearing some of his paperwork.

"Broughtcha more hearts, Sai."

"Yes. I can see that." He eyed the twins, who were exclaiming happily as they warmed up by the fire across the room. "You killed people in front of them?"

Axel shrugged. "Couldn't be helped. You know how it is. Told 'em to close their eyes and cover their ears."

"They don't seem too upset..."

"Yeah, Xion stopped crying once we got close to the Tower, and Roxas started talking again." Axel grinned affectionately at the children. "They're fine now~"

Saïx sighed.

"Sai-Sai~!" Xion, still bundled up against the cold, came romping over to the Luna Diviner, with her twin following close behind. "Hi~!"

"Hello. _Don't_ hug-" Too late; she was already throwing her arms around him and squeezing. "Ugh." He sighed and drew out a handkerchief. "You're a mess. Hold still."

The girl scrunched up her face as he scrubbed the dried blood from one of Axel's victims off her cheek. "Oooww."

"I said to hold _still_." Then he turned to Roxas. "You too, there's blood on your-" His eyes widened. "_Don't_ sit on the-!" Too late; Roxas had already hoisted himself onto the desk, right on top of the paperwork.

"Axel killed four bad Dusks and a Sniper and two Gamblers," he reported. "The Berserker got away."

"Hn."

"My bad~" Axel laughed. "Woulda had that one, too, but..."

"The Sniper was aiming at Xion's head, so he had to get that one first and save her," Roxas explained.

Saïx grunted in surprise when Axel scooted close and put his arms around him. "I'll do better next time, I promise~" Axel cooed, cuddling him.

"All of you get _off_, and get out! I've got work to do!"

"Oh, I know! Let's go make hot chocolate!" Xion cried.

"Yeah," Roxas said instantly, and then they galloped eagerly for the door. Saïx reached up and tossed Axel's arms off his shoulders.

"You cold?" Axel suddenly asked.

Saïx frowned. "No. Even if I was, it's completely irrelevant. Why would you ask?"

Axel shrugged. "I dunno. Seeing the kids, the way they're more sensitive to the seasons just like everything else... It made me wonder if you were cold up here, too."

"Of course not. I'm used to it - and I'm not _you_, acting like every snowfall is the end of the world."

"Hey, I'm the Flurry of Dancing Flames, I can't help it." Axel looked down at the desk. "So. Sai. You gonna take a break and come drink chocolate with us, or do I have to start _zomg touching your paperwork_~?" He grinned and poised his hands threateningly over the piles of paper.

"_Leave_ those alone. I'll come down once I finish the form I was working on before I was _interrupted_."

"'Kay. I'll watch." Axel plopped his comfortably-folded arms on the desk.

"Get out!"

o.o.o.o.o

Down in the kitchen a little later, Roxas carefully poured steaming brown liquid into four mugs as Xion tore open a bag of soft white orbs. "How many marshmallows do you want, Axel?" she asked.

"Three~! One for each of my Special People," Axel said with a wink, earning huge smiles from the twins.

"How many do you want, Roxas?"

"Fifty."

"_Four_ maximum," Saïx said severely. "That's enough, Xion."

"Okay. How many do you want, Sai-Sai?"

"None, I- Don't _ask_ if you're just going to do it anyway!"

"Oops." Xion peered into the mug, which now had two marshmallows floating in it.

"Ugh. Never mind." Saïx picked up the mug and took a sip, then made a face. "45 points."

"Whaaat? But that's lower than last time," Roxas protested.

"And we've been practicing!" Xion added in dismay.

"_I_ think it's _100_ points," Axel said grandly, taking a big swig since he was immune to getting burned.

"You always give us 100 points, so you don't count," Roxas said dismissively.

"Eh?!"

They continued to sip at their chocolate and chat for a while. At one point, Xion asked, "Hey, Axel, what's Christmas like in the Country That Never Was?"

He gave her a blank look. "Christmas?"

"Yeah," Roxas said. "You know. When everyone gives each other presents and Santa comes."

"It's a holiday in their world," Saïx explained to Axel. Then, to the children, "We rarely celebrate holidays here, partially because we don't often have seasons."

Now it was their turn to stare blankly. "No...? You mean there's no _Christmas_?!"

"We can do Christmas anyway," Axel said quickly. "How does it work?"

"You don't know what CHRISTMAS is?!"

Axel seemed perfectly happy to drown in the deluge of eager explanations that immediately followed, and Saïx took the opportunity, while they were all distracted, to slip back upstairs and return to work.

o.o.o.o.o

When Saïx awakened several time periods later, he was in his bed, which meant that Axel must have come again (and had therefore moved him), because the last memory Saïx had was of working drowsily at his desk. He sighed, sat up and stretched, then climbed out of bed and made his way to the workroom to see if Axel was still in the Tower or had left already.

Saïx froze on the threshold, aghast. "What are you doing to my _Tower_?!"

"Good morning, Sai-Sai!" Xion called merrily, waving. She was hanging decorations on a tree that Saïx very much wished had remained outside where it belonged.

"You were drooling on your papers," Roxas told him from where he was handing lengths of garland up to Axel. "It was funny." Axel was wearing a red hat with fluffy white trim, Roxas had on a headband that made him look like artificial antlers were sticking out of his hair, and Xion had jewelry with little bells that made extraordinarily irritating sounds at even her slightest movements.

"Get all this garbage out of here!"

"It's _festive_," Axel said. "And the kids like it, so if you want it out, you'll have to beat me in a fight."

Saïx glared. Though his own combat skills were perfectly adequate for normal situations, Axel was one of the finest warriors in the country. This was usually an advantage, such as whenever Saïx was set upon by vengeful townspeople, and Axel almost always came bursting out of the shadows in the nick of time to defend him like a well-trained guard dog. However, if they were ever to go head-to-head, that would be an entirely different story... "I have work to do."

"Aw, we'll be quiet."

"It doesn't matter! Bells aside, your _presences_, the _colors_, the fact that none of this should even _be_ here - it's DISTRACTING!"

"Xion, I think Sai-Sai needs a Santa hat, too," Axel suggested wickedly.

"Okay!"

"Stay _away_ from me!"

Saïx did make an honest effort to work through the trio's endeavor. Unfortunately, as he'd already known, he couldn't concentrate, partially because the other three kept forgetting so often to be quiet, and partially because of those insufferable _bells_. He finally slammed his hands down on the desk and rose imposingly to his feet. "That's it. Out. _Out_."

"Awww, but-!"

"You two are long past due to go pester one of the other territories, and _you_, Axel, might as well go collect more hearts."

"But I just brought-"

"Without anyone to guide you, you will most certainly not return for many more time periods; now _go_. And I don't even want to hear any of you _thinking_ about Christmas in this Tower again!"

"But I thought only Zexion can read minds," Roxas said in confusion.

"LEAVE!"

Axel, after some more obligatory teasing, eventually retrieved his black coat and left the Tower, following the scent of blood toward his next targets. Roxas and Xion shivered their way out of Saïx's territory and then wandered along the nearest path. "You think Sora and Vani would like Christmas better?" Xion wondered.

"Yeah. Demyx would, too. Let's go to Port Royal."

"Okay."

The Hatter pirates did, indeed, seem much more excited about the idea of Christmas than Saïx had. In some cases, not quite for the reasons Roxas and Xion had intended, but their enthusiasm was genuine enough.

"Do we get to kill people at Christmas?" Vanitas asked eagerly.

"Huh?! No!" Xion exclaimed in dismay. "Christmas is when people are _nice_ to each other."

"I _told_ you, Brother!" Sora exclaimed. "Xion wouldn't be happy about killing people, duh!"

"But she said it would be fun, duh," Vanitas sulked.

"There's cake," Roxas said, which made Vanitas perk back up a little. "Cookies and candy canes and all that. You'll like it."

"And everyone gets each other presents," Xion added.

She yelped when Vanitas practically pounced on her. "You'll give me presents, Xion?!"

"Um, get off," she said, pushing at him. "And yeah, me and Roxas will get you and Sora both presents, okay?"

Vanitas beamed and hugged her.

"Vaniiiii, get off!"

"You'll really give us presents?" Sora asked Roxas with shining eyes.

"Yeah. But you give us presents, too. _Everyone_ does, you know?"

"Uh...no, I don't know. Teach me!"

Roxas and Xion's Christmas lessons lasted the rest of the time period, even after it changed to night and the Hatters' flagship returned to port.

Xigbar and Demyx, their work done for the day, paused beside the children as their subordinates headed off, yawning, to the bathhouse or the kitchens. "Whatcha up to, guys?" Demyx asked with interest.

"Not gonna yell at 'em first for deserting their post?" Xigbar suggested amiably.

Demyx waved his hand in a dismissive way. "Yeah, yeah, you guys suck as gatekeepers and all that. So whatcha up to?"

"We're making lots and lots and loooots of lists, but I'm getting bored," Vanitas said with a pointed yawn.

"What do you want for Christmas, boss?" Sora asked Xigbar, pencil poised eagerly over a notepad.

"Hmmm..." A mischievous twinkle appeared in his eye. "Nothing, really."

"Nothing?!"

"Well, I guess if you reeeaaaallly wanna get me something, you can get me a heart just like our dear outsiders' here."

Sora stared at him in dismay. "But I can't get you a heart, the Heartless stole them all! Only the Luna Diviner has hearts, and that scary guy in the black coat keeps killing anyone who tries to take them!"

"Chicken~" Demyx teased.

"Whoops!" Xigbar laughed, "Guess your boss is gonna be _really disappointed_ this Christmas."

Sora whimpered.

"I might even dock your pay," Xigbar mused.

"What?!" Vanitas yelled in outrage.

"But oh well - can't help it if my gatekeepers are miserable failures. Now, if you all will excuse me, I could do with some Me Time." He waved as he continued on his way.

"Wait!" Sora whined, "But- We have to- A heart's not- Isn't there anything _else_...?!"

"We're NOT miserable failures!" Vanitas yelled. "We'll get you the best present EVER! That's _not_ a heart! So HAH! You said you didn't even want a present anyway, loser!"

"I want a puppy for Christmas," Demyx offered, "and some makeout time with one of the Castle maids."

"Ah, I can do that," Sora said in relief, scribbling on his notepad.

"What's makeout time?" Xion wondered.

"They'll let you in the Castle?" Roxas said in surprise.

"Yup. At least, a lot of the Dusks will, and the Dancers. Couple of my girlfriends are there~"

"I thought your girlfriend was the Dancer pirate girl who puts rose petals in your tea," Xion said dubiously.

"Ah, that must be one of my _Port Royal_ girlfriends."

"But aren't you supposed to only have one girlfriend at a time...?"

The Castle roleholders (not counting Axel) weren't nearly as interested in the idea of Christmas - Larxene was just her usual vitriolic self, and Vexen was, as usual, only interested in experimenting with the outsiders as much as he could before either they or one of their protectors managed to stop him - but the Nobody guards and staff seemed interested and willing to participate.

Over at Disney Town, Xemnas was (as usual) lost to Kingdom Hearts and oblivious to everything else, but Luxord and the park employees seemed happy enough to join in, too. Even Zexion, when Roxas and Xion saw him in their dreams, had taken to wearing a sprig of holly in a token of festive spirit.

_"I'm not particularly inclined to join in the festivities,"_ he explained, _"but it makes you happy, and you two being happy is good for this world, so I have no objection."_

_"I'll find a reeeaaallly really nice book for you,"_ Xion promised. _"But I won't tell you what book it is, because it's a secret!"_

Zexion smiled. _"Fair enough."_

Only Saïx remained downright hostile about the idea. He was grumpier than usual whenever the outsider twins were at the Tower, and tended to kick them out if they even breathed a hint of anything Christmasey. As the appointed time for the holiday party drew closer and closer, and the three other territories began to look more and more festive (regardless of the actual weather...) Saïx stayed holed up in the Tower as usual, as hard at work as ever.

"Sai-Sai~!"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" Saïx growled, not even looking up as Axel sailed into the workroom.

"Aw, so you'd prefer I call you Luna?"

"_No_. I prefer you leave me in peace. You brought too many hearts last time, I still haven't caught up."

Axel slapped his hands on the desk, bouncing his feet up with playful restlessness as if he was a child. "Well, tonight's not the night to catch up. It's party time!"

"What are you talking about?" Saïx said in annoyance.

"The Christmas party, man! Everyone's already over at the Castle. Just waiting for you~"

"Nonsense. We already had an obligatory gathering; my absence will likely not even be noted."

"Aw, come on, Sai. I mean, I guess _almost_ no one really cares if you're there or not, but...the kids do. Rox and Xi. You know? They're waiting for you."

"They should know better."

"Saïx." Axel's usual smile was starting to slip, on the verge of turning into something much darker. "It's time to stop working for a little bit. Come to the party with me."

"Is 'no' a difficult concept for you to understand? I'm not going."

"Saïx-"

"I hate crowds, I hate noise, I hate nearly all the people in this world, and most of all, I'm _busy_. I need you to leave me alone. I won't give you a new assignment, so feel free to traipse over to the castle yourself and do whatever you want for the rest of the time period. As for me-"

Axel laid his hands on a stack of paper, most likely intending to lift the stack and toss it.

"STOP." Saïx jerked a pen out of his pocket, which instantly transformed into a heavy claymore. "Do not touch those."

Axel looked at Lunatic and sighed. The weapon itself was impressive, but the idea of a workaholic hermit who rarely trained facing off against an assassin who was almost constantly in combat...especially when the moon was only a tiny sliver in the sky... "Really, Sai?"

"Go. Have fun. All I ask is that you leave me in _peace_."

"...Roxas and Xion really want you there."

"Their wishes have no bearing on my own actions."

"Xion especially. She'll make the face. Puppy Eyes and everything. You're really gonna pit me against _that_?"

"It's not my fault you have such a weakness."

"Pleeeeaaaase, Sai?"

"I said no!"

Axel's cheerful expression was now completely gone. He looked every inch a deadly assassin as his weapons appeared in his hands. "You gonna make me drag you there by force?"

"Yes, the children and I will _so_ enjoy the party when I'm wandering around in tatters, speaking incoherently and bleeding into the punch bowl."

"..."

Saïx met his gaze tranquilly, sensing that he was on the verge of victory.

Axel finally sighed again and dismissed his weapons. "Fine," he said bitterly. "Have it your way. Merry Christmas, Luna Diviner." He left, his footsteps soundless, the workroom door making no more than a soft click as it closed behind him.

o.o.o.o.o

It was quite a party.

"Stop hogging her all to yourself, cryptkeeper!" Vanitas yelled, swinging his axe at Prime Minister Vexen. "Xion's MINE!"

"Mine, too," Sora added, loyally backing up his twin.

"I'm not finished with the experiment yet, you little cretins!" Vexen shouted back, summoning his shield and fighting back.

"Would you like to dance, poppet?" Xigbar offered, holding out a hand.

"Oh - thank you," Xion said gratefully, letting herself be helped up. "I tried to explain that people don't do science experiments on Christmas, but he wouldn't listen..."

"Since when does anyone?" Xigbar chuckled.

Across the room, Luxord had (of course) started a card game with Roxas, Larxene, and Axel, and seemed to be amused by how badly the Queen of Hearts was losing.

"You're _cheating_!" Larxene finally yelled, storming to her feet and knocking over the entire table. "Guards! Off with his head!"

"Seems like luck has run out for some Dusks tonight," Luxord remarked, readying two handfuls of razor-edged cards in preparation to defend himself.

"Axel, don't let them kill people," Roxas said unhappily.

"Your wish is my command," Axel said easily, rising to his feet and bringing his own weapons to hand.

_"Fro~sty~ the snowman~"_ Demyx was singing onstage as all the fighting caught his eye, _"was a bit upset today~ He wants all of you to shut up and dance like Xion and boss, okay?"_

"I don't think that's how the words go," Xion said in puzzlement as she followed Xigbar's lead.

The party lasted until late into the next time period. Both sets of twins had fallen asleep in a sort of nest of discarded wrapping paper, with Sora snuggled up to Roxas on one side and Vanitas snuggled up to Xion on the other. The queen and the prime minister had retired to their rooms, and Luxord to a guest suite; Demyx had long since disappeared with a Dancer on each arm; Xigbar had returned to Port Royal; and some Dusks were now working to clean up the mess. Axel sat at a table in the dimmest corner with an unreadable expression on his face, sipping occasionally at a glass of wine.

He went completely still when a newcomer entered the banquet hall - not a Nobody, but a roleholder. One with shaggy blue hair and an X-shaped scar on his face.

Saïx first went to look at the sleeping children, whom he studied for a while. Then he made his way to the refreshment table, scooped up a glass, came over to take a seat across from Axel, and pour himself a drink.

There was a smile on Axel's face again. It was a smaller, more serious one than usual, but a smile nonetheless. "Just couldn't stay away, could ya."

"...The Tower was starting to get a bit chilly," Saïx mumbled. "I thought I would come to where it's spring and warm up a bit before returning to work."

They sat in companionable silence for a while.

"Would've been better if you could have made it here when there was an _actual party_ going on," Axel finally spoke.

Saïx gazed into his glass. "...I know you don't understand it, Axel, but I don't enjoy that sort of thing. At _all_. Being among so many people feels suffocating, the constant noise is crushing, the ridiculous fights and the way everyone is so stupid and overexcitable...just...everything. I _don't like it_."

"So why'd you come at all, then? Besides to 'warm up.'"

Saïx looked up and met his eyes for a moment, glanced over at the children, then back at Axel. Axel smiled.

Saïx sighed, then drew something out of his pocket and set it on the table between them. The item was unmistakable, considering the fact that it was wrapped in red and green paper.

"Aw, Sai, you shouldn't have!" Axel exclaimed, his tone teasing but his eyes looking almost awed.

"You're probably right," Saïx muttered, "I'm sure it won't do any good. But perhaps the sentiment will have some sort of value to you, at least." He eyed his friend. "Open it."

Axel grinned and laid another gift on the table, beside the first. "Let's do it at the same time."

One of Saïx's rare, small, faint smiles flickered briefly across his face. Then they each picked up their Christmas gifts and unwrapped them.

"A compass?" Axel laughed. "Aw, man, thanks, Sai! Don't know when I'll ever need to use it, but it's the thought that counts, eh?"

"I'm almost certain your abysmal sense of direction will defeat even such a tool, but at least _try_ it," Saïx snapped. "At any rate, it couldn't possibly do any harm." He studied his own gift. "Earrings?"

"Yeah. Because doesn't that giant thing you've got hanging from your ear all the time hurt or something?"

"Not particularly, but...hm." Saïx removed the large, heavy earring he was accustomed to and replaced it with the silver studs Axel had given him. He made a face, as if loath to act too approving. "I admit...these do feel lighter..."

"Heh, glad you like 'em."

"I never said I liked them."

"I can translate Saïx-speak, and I know you like 'em~"

Saïx shook his head. "Let's just get the children home before they catch a cold, sleeping on the floor like that; or get stepped on by a Dusk, or kidnapped and held hostage by grudge-holding Nobodies, or accidentally murdered by anyone stupid enough to start a fight and avoid catching our pathetically helpless outsiders in the crossfire..."

Axel laughed. "I'll take Rox, you take Xi?"

"Hn." The two men got up, went over to the sleeping children, and carefully lifted them out of the gatekeepers' grasps.

"Xiongimmeakiss," Vanitas mumbled in his sleep.

"Roxasletsplaythatonenext," Sora murmured happily, also still asleep. The brothers ended up unconsciously closing the gap between them and falling back into a deeper sleep once their own hands were clasped.

Roxas and Xion did not awaken entirely, either. They grumbled and squirmed a little, but never opened their eyes. Axel hefted Roxas into a more comfortable position on his back; Saïx reached up to adjust Xion's hold around his neck. Then the four of them headed home for the Clock Tower together.

"I kind of like this Christmas thing," Axel commented. "Let's do it again next year, okay?"

"I'm sure we'll be celebrating strange holidays for as long as Roxas and Xion are in this world..."

o.o.o

Author's Notes: The way I usually write Saïx is CRAZILY identical to the character he represents here, but none of the other characters match nearly as well, so keep that in mind if they seemed OOC...

Gah...I usually enjoy Japanese honorifics and find them fascinating, but they were a huge pain in this fic, due to both RokuShiSoVan's ages and the fact that I don't know what the Hatter twins call each other in canon. -.-; (Speaking of which, if _you_ know what Dee & Dum call each other in Japanese, please tell me!) I ended up just dropping the honorifics for RokuShi altogether and having SoVan call them by their names.

If you were wondering about all the other gifts, I didn't put any thought into them. I was mainly focusing on AkuSai(RokuShi) for this fic. ^^; Also, I have no plans to expand this universe or anything, it's supposed to just be a one-shot.

I'm soooooooo mad at myself! My original plan was write and draw like crazy for a month and a half so that I'd have a whole bunch of Christmas stuff to post...I wanted a bare minimum of twelve (twelve days of Christmas and all). But I kept getting so freaking distracted and busy, and I kept getting writer's block or something on all the ideas I _did_ try, and I was seriously afraid I wouldn't have ANYTHING done in time. DX That would have very much bummed me out, even more than I'm already bummed out.  
But I did finally manage to get _something_ done (thanks to some last-minute inspiration from my current fandom obsession *sweatdrop*), here at like 3:00 in the morning on Christmas Day, so yaaaay for only mostly failing instead of totally failing. X'D

*whew* Okay, so...I am _drowning_ in stuff to do and still in Survival Mode as long as our guests are here...I feel like a crazy wreck... But I'm going to try to be productive on all fronts during the rest of Christmas vacation. Current undated writing priorities are the two contest prizes; the next dated priority is Sora/Xion Day at the end of January. And I need to get on the stick and start earnestly working on an original story...

Anyway, don't mind me being a grouch over here; happy holidays, everyone! ^_^ I'm mostly grouchy because I love Christmas so very much and wish I could have done it justice~


End file.
